When Hurricane Ida hit the East Coast in 2021, there was no one more surprised than Jamie MacKenzie to find her Hastings home—and the rental house they own next door—filling up with several feet of water.
“We’re not in a flood zone and only ever had gushing waters going by our house when there was heavy rain,” says MacKenzie, an artist who lives with her husband and sons.
While the hurricane intensified, she recalls being way more concerned about trees damaging her home—not flooding. That all changed when she saw water rising on the next street. Within minutes, water began flowing into the front door and her basement.
“We learned later that a pond up the hill had been breached,” she says. “Our house became the pond.”
Even though the waters receded almost as fast as they came in, leaving the home full of mud from the pond, the homeowners were left with over $100,000 in damage, including the loss of three cars. (They didn’t have flood insurance at the time but they do now).
“It was like you took the pond, put it in our property, drained it and everything was left behind,” she said, adding that her basement and the entire rental house had to be completely renovated. “Ever since then, we get very worried during a heavy rainstorm, but we’re more prepared. We’re fully stocked with sandbags, and we’ll be sure to move our cars up the hill.”
These days, extreme weather events have been on the upswing nationwide and, while there hasn’t been a significant number of hurricanes and tornadoes in our county, homeowners need to remain prepared for nor’easters, according to Daniel N. Olmoz, program administrator of Disaster Recovery and Mitigation at the Emergency Management Division of the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services. “The frequency and intensity from nor’easters are definitely something we’re dealing with more often,” Olmoz says.
Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to protect your home and family. “Everyone should learn how to stay safe during a flood event,” warns Olmoz. “This includes always following emergency instructions from authorities, whether it means evacuating if it’s safe to travel or sheltering in place.”
Since winds always pick up significantly during a nor’easter, it’s also imperative to keep an eye on your trees, making sure they’re trimmed and knowing where to seek help if you suspect there’s a problematic one that might land on your home if the worst happens, Olmoz says.
“As a general safety message, homeowners should communicate tree-related concerns to a professional,” he says. “And, if trees are in the vicinity of utility lines, contact your public utility provider since they are responsible for management in and around their infrastructure.”
The next must-do: Prepare a detailed plan for your family (including pets ), sketching out what you will do in an emergency. This includes researching shelters in your community and developing a communication plan to notify family members and loved ones if you’re displaced.
Finally, be sure to stock your home with water and nonperishables in case you’re unable to leave during a storm. “Plan for one gallon of water per person per day,” Olmoz says. “You should also have on hand several days of nonperishable foods, such as canned items or protein bars.”
The Ins and Outs of Homeowner’s Insurance
With climate issues top of mind, insurers like Daniel Guiney, president of ZRM Brokerage, a boutique insurance brokerage firm in Thornwood, say it’s super important to be up to date on protecting your assets. “Every homeowner needs a primary homeowners’ policy,” he says. “This offers protection from fire, if someone were to slip and fall, or if a tree or lightning strikes the home.”
These days, extreme weather events have been on the upswing nationwide.
What homeowners don’t often consider is service line coverage, an inexpensive add-on (about $20-$50 annually tacked to your homeowner’s insurance) that allows for coverage if there are problems with sewage, power lines, or fiber optic cables coming into the home. “This also covers a homeowner if a tree root grows into a pipe, for example,” he says. “Without this, homeowners can be found liable for all of these issues.”
As for flood insurance, don’t assume that you need to live in a flood zone to be impacted by flooding, which is defined as anything from a burst pipe, snow melt coming down a hill that floods a property, and even mud flow. “Nearly 30 percent of claims come from non-flood zones,” he says. He recommends everyone can get flood insurance, if you can.
Wind deductibles are also a good idea. This can cover any debris or things that get tossed because of high winds causing damage to your or your neighbor’s property. “This can be part of your homeowners’ policy, or you can get a separate wind and storm policy.”
Be prepared for the fact that some insurance companies are denying claims. According to Guiney, this is especially true for homes in shore towns like Mamaroneck or Rye, or even those without a water view that are simply located within a mile of the coast. “It’s true that companies are limiting policies and locations they want to write in,” Guiney says, adding that State Farm, Allstate, Travelers, and Chubb have backed away. “However, I advise homeowners to keep trying if they get declined by the first carrier.”
What to Know If You’re Remodeling
If you’re thinking about a reno, it’s the perfect time to research safety measures that you can incorporate into your new design.
“We urge homeowners to consider installing solar panels to produce electricity,” says Dylan Murray, owner of Murray Craft Builders, a residential contracting firm in Larchmont.
Rainwater collection and reuse is important, especially along the Long Island Sound where most towns struggle with stormwater runoff and flooding, he says. “We installed a 1,000-gallon rainwater collection cistern under a driveway as part of an extensive renovation in Larchmont,” Murray says. “The clients opted to reuse the rainwater for the irrigation system to water the landscaping. We also installed outdoor showers that are supplied by filtered rainwater. This was a winwin!” The system is not only ecofriendly, but it also keeps the water in use and away from your house so you can avoid further flooding.
And, as always, remodeling experts are hard at work looking for ways to help homeowners dry out their basements and backyards, says Seth Rosenberger, a licensed contractor at Benjamin Rose Build & Design in White Plains. “The strategy should be water mitigation, not prevention,” he says, adding that most owners will opt for a French drain and sump pumps. “It’s hard to stop water from getting into a basement—you’d have to excavate the whole house and waterproof it, which is super expensive. A French drain and sump pumps are our best strategy to make sure that when water gets into a house it gets pumped outside—where it belongs.”
Should You Get a Generator?
If you’re determined to keep your lights on the next time a power outage occurs, consider a generator. Small versions are about $700, and large models that will keep your entire home functioning, start at around $8,000.
“A small generator will give you enough energy to keep some lights on, the fridge on, and keep the heat and AC working,” Olmoz says. “The benefits of having drinking water and the ability to take showers is helpful, especially in case of longterm power outages.”
Just remember that if you run a backup generator, keep it in a well-ventilated area away at least 20 feet away from your home to reduce the risks from carbon monoxide emissions, which can be fatal, Olmoz adds.
“For safety purposes, I also urge homeowners to make sure your generator is professionally wired by a certified electrician,” Olmoz says.
Prepping for an Evacuation
Making a quick exit in an emergency—and having all the important documents you need—comes down to preparation. Ahead of an impending storm, Olmoz wants to make sure you have:
- A family emergency binder with important documents such as information about insurance policies, passports, health records, social security cards, phone numbers and evacuation routes. Consider storing this in a fire-proof safe or bag.
- A go-bag that contains a flashlight and batteries, phone charger, weather radio, first aid kit, whistle, blanket, dust masks, scissors, duct tape, pliers, a can opener, and moist towelettes. You should also have a good supply of bottled water, non-perishable foods, medications, cash, eyeglasses, and (if needed) infant and pet supplies.
- A car to-go bag that contains essential supplies for traveling in adverse conditions such as blankets, ice scrapers, sand or cat litter (important if it’s icy or snowy), flares, jumper cables, a cell phone charger, and all the items in your go-bag.
Be Fire Ready
Although it may seem like what happened in California could not happen here, that is not necessarily true. In Westchester last year there were over 130 brushfires due to an increase in drought conditions. In addition, fire departments across the county were dispatched to approximately 1,576 structure fire incidents—and there were eight fatal fires that claimed the lives of nine people, according to the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
And with temperatures rising and droughts here in our own backyard, brush fires are becoming a reality and something we need to be prepared for.
Here are three things White Plains Fire Chief Claudio Petriccione wants homeowners to know:
Make Sure Your Fire Detectors Work and Are Up to Date
“In newer homes, these are hard wired according to fire and building codes,” he says, adding that fire detectors (as well as carbon monoxide detectors) should be in every bedroom and in the hallways outside of these rooms and that they should be tested at least once a month. “Change the batteries every six months and keep in mind that these devices have a shelf life of 10 years so after that time, you’ll need to change out the whole unit.”
Keep Fire Extinguishers on Hand
“Make sure to check them regularly to see if the meter on the outside is in the green zone,” he says. Most experts recommend keeping at least one on every floor of your home. “To use them, remember the acronym ‘PASS:’ Pull the pin, Aim at the fire, Squeeze the handle and Sweep in a back-and-forth motion.”
Sketch out an Escape Route
“The goal is to come up with two ways to exit every room in your home, including the front or back door,” says Petriccione, adding that you should make sure every door and window leading outside opens easily. “Practice the plan with everyone, including your pets, and do it at night, too.”
Storm Prep Basics
Ask Frederic Klein, a spokesperson for the New York region of the American Red Cross, and he’ll tell you the best thing to do is to be prepared—for any type of weather event. Here’s his advice:
Flash Floods
Know the flood risk for your home and for your community. To learn more, visit the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and input your address. Since flash floods can be sudden and violent, you may have little to no warning so choose a place on higher ground that you can get to fast. Visit redcross.org/flood.
Hurricanes
Prep your home in advance by covering windows with storm shutters or plywood. Store outside items to prevent them from being displaced by high winds and clean out drains, gutters, and downspouts. Also be sure to review your insurance policies and coverage with your insurance agency. Check out redcross.org/hurricane.
Tornadoes
Know where you can go to stay safe. This could be a basement, storm cellar, bathroom, or interior room on the lowest floor with no windows. Practice tornado drills with your entire household. For more advice visit redcross.org/tornado.
